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Beyond Belief

Religion & Ethics

Series exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world

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Beyond Belief: Jane Eyre

14/05/2018

Jane Eyre

BBC Radio 4 - Beyond Belief, Jane Eyre

Ernie Rea in conversation with guests about the religion in Jane Eyre.

Today's special edition of Beyond Belief comes from the library in the Bronte Parsonage Museum at Haworth on the edge of the Yorkshire moors. It was here that Charlotte Bronte conceived the plot of her best known work, 'Jane Eyre'.

Religion features large in this novel - which isn't surprising as Charlotte was the daughter of Irish priest Patrick Bronte, the curate for many years of St Michael and All Angel's Church in Haworth. What is surprising though, is that some critics at the time described 'Jane Eyre' as an anti-religious work. Queen Victoria begged to differ and described it as "A really wonderful book with fine religious feeling."

Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the religious content of Jane Eyre are Dinah Birch, Professor of English Literature at the University of Liverpool, John Bowen, Professor of Nineteenth Century Literature at the University of York and Rosemary Mitchell, Professor of Victorian Studies at Leeds Trinity University.

Producer: Helen Lee
Series Producer: Amanda Hancox.

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